Instant Regret{88}

As Vasha and Aether exited Vasili's office, a triumphant smirk spread across their faces. The tension in the room had been palpable as they made it abundantly clear to Ashley that he was to stay away from their omega. It was a successful display of power and a necessary warning.

Walking down the busy streets, Vasha and Aether found themselves in an empty alleyway, away from prying eyes. With a swift movement, they vanished from sight, their forms blending seamlessly into the shadows as they returned to their castle.

In the depths of their castle, a storm of emotions raged within Vasha. Frustration, loss, and longing twisted together, pushing him to lash out at the one person who had been by his side for centuries - Aether.

Placing a gentle hand on Vasha's arm, Aether urged him to speak. "What is it, my love? What troubles you?"

"Why can't we just take him? Why?!"

Aether's voice trembled slightly as he began to explain, "Vasha, I understand the pain you're feeling. The loss of Vasili, even after all these centuries, still weighs heavily on our hearts. But we cannot rush this. Taking Vasili home with us, just like that, is not the answer."

Vasha's eyes widened with frustration. "Why not? Why can't we just bring him back with us, where he belongs? We've been searching for him for so long, Aether. I can't stand to see him suffer any longer."

Aether placed a comforting hand on Vasha's cheek, his touch gentle and warm. "Patience, my love. We must give Vasili time to heal his spirit. Time to remember everything that happened. Rushing into things will only bring chaos. We must allow him to make the choice of being with us willingly."

Vasha's voice rose to a breaking point as he brutally questioned Aether, his words dripping with venom and pain. "Do you even love Vasili? Do you still care about him? Or have you forgotten how it felt that night, when we were both there, and he slipped through our fingers? Have you forgotten how his death shattered me?"

The room fell silent, save for the soft sound of slow breathing coming from Aether. Vasha still in an angry state failed to realize what he was saying, how deeply his words would wound Aether, the one person he loved more than anything.

Aether's eyes glistened with unshed tears as he softly replied, "Of course it affected me, Vasha. His loss tore me apart just as it did you. But we cannot let our pain blind us. We must approach this with caution, for the sake of all three of us."

Vasha's frustration got the better of him, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Do you even care anymore, Aether? Do you still love us? Or do you only care about yourself? About keeping up this ugly facade that you couldn't care less whether or not he'll want to be with us? Are we still enough for you or do you want to go back to him? Make him yours and have him bear your mark and forget about what we built with Vasili? Tell me, Aether. Do you want to go back to your first love? Are you tired of putting up with us? With everything?"

Aether's face fell, his eyes welling up with tears that streamed down his cheeks before he could stop them. He remained silent, the hurt evident in his expression.

The weight of his words hit Vasha like a sledgehammer, the realization of his actions crashing down upon him. "No... Aether, I didn't mean that," he choked out, a sob escaping his lips. "I'm sorry, Lyubov. I didn't mean any of it."

But it was too late. With misty eyes and a heavy heart, Aether's form flickered for a moment before vanishing from the castle, leaving Vasha behind in a state of devastation. The empty room swallowed his sobs as he crumbled to the ground, the weight of his regrets pressing upon him with every breath.

He had been so consumed by his own emotions and self-doubt, by his longing for Vasili, that he had forgotten the love that bound them all together.

Clutching at his heart, Vasha whispered into the empty room, "I didn't mean it," Vasha whispered brokenly, his voice filled with remorse. "Aether, please forgive me. I never should have doubted your love or questioned our bond because you aren't like him. I let the voices get too loud and took it out on you. I love you, both of you, with every fiber of my being."

But his words hung in the air, unanswered. Only silence remained, punctuated by the echoes of Vasha's tears, as he realized the irreversible damage his anger had done.

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As Aether vanished from the castle, he reappeared in a dark and tranquil forest. The very presence of his being seemed to stir the trees and grasses, causing them to shake with elation. A gentle breeze whispered through the leaves, ruffling Aether's hair in a comforting manner. He offered a sad smile, his heart heavy with pain from Vasha's words that continued to echo in his mind.

Taking slow, deep breaths, Aether attempted to calm his erratic heart, but the hollow feeling in his chest persisted. Walking aimlessly through the forest, his mind far from the present moment, he found himself drawn to the foot of an ancient ursine shadow-lock tree. Its branches released a soothing aura, inviting Aether to seek solace beneath its embrace.

Sitting down at the tree's base, Aether surrendered to the silence of the forest. His mind wandered back to that fateful night, centuries ago, when Vasili died before his very eyes. He remembered the unbearable pain, the brokenness that had threatened to consume him. He had to be strong for Vasha, suppressing his own grief to provide comfort and support for his beloved. And now, for Vasha to question his love, it shattered the carefully constructed wall he had built to lock away his pain.

The last thread of control unraveled, and Aether's tears fell freely. His body curled in on itself, quiet sobs ripping through his chest. The tree, sensing his anguish, wrapped around him like a protective cocoon, containing the sounds of his pain within its sanctuary.

In a gentle, ethereal form, a woman emerged from within the tree. She enveloped the sobbing Aether in her arms, cradling his head upon her lap. Her touch was tender as she rubbed soothing circles on his broad back. Aether clung to her as if his life depended on it, his voice breaking as he whispered, "Mother."

She hushed him softly, her voice filled with love and maternal warmth. "I'm here, my blooming bud," she whispered, brushing away his tears. "Mommy is here, so you can let it all out."

Aether released all the restraints he had placed upon himself, the floodgates of his pain and sorrow opening wide. He cried for hours, his body racked with the intensity of his emotions. And as his mother, in her serene presence, could bear the sight of her son's tears no longer, she gently patted his head, casting a spell that ushered him into a peaceful slumber.

Wrapped in the soothing embrace of the forest and cradled in his mother's love, Aether finally found respite from the weight of his heartache, even if it would last only for a short while.